


Kick start my heart

by Donuts4Dragons (TheAlpineSea)



Series: Dreams of things that will bite [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Ben Solo's Love Letter to Classic Rock, F/M, Lumberjack Ben Solo, Mechanic Rey, Road Trips, Yeah There's No Romance, yet - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:13:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23952121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAlpineSea/pseuds/Donuts4Dragons
Summary: Ben, Poe, Finn and Rey are living their daily lives in little Starlit Creek,  Montana, when Zombies show up to make things more exciting.----------------------------------------------------Or in summary:Ben Solo the Lumberjack+A Zombie Apocalypse+An Ice-Cream-Truck-hijacking Rey=Whatever the freak this fic isNot really sure how this happened but we’re just going to roll with it.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Dreams of things that will bite [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1726738
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Kick start my heart

**Author's Note:**

> So, I was listening to some of my favorite Classic Rock, when the idea for this story popped in my head. Mostly just the idea of Reylo beating up Zombies to Van Halen and the like. This work is a complete story, despite being part of a series. Each part of series can be read without reading any other part.
> 
> I never thought IIIIIII would write an apocalypse fit, but here we are.
> 
> I was going to use this quote by George Carlin for the title, “May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.” But, one, it was too long, and second, I thought to myself, why not use lyrics from the rock songs that inspired whole thing?
> 
> The work title is from the song “Kickstart my Heart" by Mötley Crüe. 
> 
> The series title is from the song “Enter Sandman” by Metallica.
> 
> Heads-up, I’m tagged this as a Reylo fit because I have romance planned for later in the series, but this part has virtually none yet. So, sorry about that. Stay tuned for that later!
> 
> Enjoy!

Ben Solo, long-time employee of the Meugler Timber Company, ignored the incessant ringing coming from his truck’s passenger-side. The cellphone buzzed against the seat’s cracked faux-leather. 

No way he was picking up. 

Only his mother ever called him. Not that Ben ever answered.

He figured one day he’d actually pick up, but not today.

Instead, he turned up his radio, until the truck vibrated with the sound. The volume blared just in time to hear the guitar intro of one of his go-to-classics.

When I get high, I get high on speed

Top Fuel funny car’s a drug for me

My heart, my heart

Kickstart my heart

The uneven dirt road jostled the Truck as Ben’s fingers strummed along to the blasting rock.

____

He drove past the other lumberjacks’ trailers, which were, for once, free of the usual loitering breakers outside.

____

Normally, on-site, the lumberjacks would all set their trailers close together. And each trailer would be assigned two workers. But Ben, convincing at times, persuaded the Site-Supervisor to let him have his own.

____

Which meant Ben could leave the crowded and usually rowdy living site behind and drive to the very far end of the site. 

____

Where he had situated his trailer so far away that, if you squinted through the towering Elms surrounding them, you could barely see the vague shapes of the other trailers, but nothing else.

____

Which is how Ben preferred it.

____

He knew it drove the Site-Supervisor insane, but everyone knew Ben was the most efficient worker on-site, so the Supervisor just let him be.

____

As he pulled into his usual parking spot, Ben pulled his phone from the usb cord and cut the engine just before the song’s climax.

____

Despite the song being cut off, the drums still beat against his mind as he grabbed his gear bag. 

____

As Ben entered the trailer, the door squealed. 

____

Dropping his gear by door, he headed straight to the kitchenette. He fished a Frozen-Meal out of the freezer, not even bothering to check what kind it was and threw it into the microwave. 

____

He’d just opened the fridge to grab a coke when a shrill note began humming in the air.

____

Ben whirled towards the microwave, expecting to see it on the verge of exploding. 

____

The noise grew louder. And higher, if that was even possible.

____

But the microwave was fine. 

____

Just a rotating package of chicken and cheese-broccoli heating up slowly. 

____

No crazy lights, no weird movement, no flames. 

____

In fact, the high-pitched sound wasn’t coming from the microwave at all.

____

It was coming from outside.

____

And it was starting to sound more and more like a group of squealing girls.

____

Normally, Ben would ignore whatever shenanigans the other lumberjacks would be getting up to during Lunch Break. But Ben knew all the women on site, and none of them would be caught DEAD screaming like that.

____

Also, the noise sounded like it was coming closer and closer.

____

So Ben strode over to the front door and yanked it open.

____

And there, coming from the direction of the other trailers, were Dumb and Dumber. Finn Storm and Poe Dameron screaming. And they were sprinting across the cleared field, high-pitched caterwauling and all, racing toward Ben’s trailer.

____

And they weren’t slowing down.

____

Ben had no time to react before BOTH of them barrelled into him.

____

Now, Ben was a big guy, over six-feet. And eight years of felling trees just built on that. 

____

But he’s definitely not strong enough to stop two slightly-smaller guys shrieking at the top of their lungs and running as fast as they can.

____

So all three of them went flying back into Ben’s floor.

____

The trailer shook with the impact and Ben felt all the air leave his body as both Poe and Finn landed on top of him.

____

As Ben laid on the floor, winded, Finn scrambled off, stammering apologies and Poe crawled to the door, shutting it quickly. 

____

Ben wheezed, “Tell me why I shouldn’t kill both of you.”

____

Finn, still panting, said, “People are trying to eat us!”

____

Ben eased himself up and squinted at them.

____

“I REALLY don’t want to know what you’re talking about.”

____

“No like, literally eat us!” Finn yelled as Poe huffed, “It’s not an innuendo! Not THIS time.”

____

Ben held up a hand, “So, you coming running to tackle me, screaming like 5 year-old girls,” The other two men gave him an affronted look, “because someone… bit you? Did you get in a fight?”

____

Poe shook his head.

____

“This giant group of people came out of nowhere and started grabbing and biting everyone! Like, there was even blood!”

____

Ben started them down, still unimpressed. 

____

“Is this one of your pranks?”

____

“I don’t do pranks!” Finn said defensively.

____

And Poe chimed in with a, “This would be a stupid prank.”

____

“Stupider than that time you put a snake in Hux’s shower?”

____

Poe grinned proudly, “Totally made Armitage pee his pants.” 

____

Then, realizing that wasn’t helping his case, Poe sobered up, “This is definitely no prank, something freaky’s going on out there.”

____

A loud thumping noise came from one of the walls. All three of them grew quiet instantly.

____

“They might’ve followed us.” Finn said in a hushed voice.

____

Ben rolled his eyes.

____

“I’m not falling for one of your stupid pranks.” He said as he headed for the door.

____

“DON’T!” Finn and Poe said in unison, reaching their hands out to stop Ben from leaving.

____

Ben stared them down derisively, “What’s wrong with you guys?”

____

Finn turned away, taking deep breathes. “We’re all going to die.” He practically whimpered.

____

Poe marched over to Ben, pointer finger pushing up into Ben’s face.

____

“You can go out there, but just make sure you close the door behind you immediately. And if you make it back alive, I won’t tell you I told you so.”

____

Ben huffed at Poe’s over-dramatics and flipped him off as he turned for the door.

____

These were the kind of people he worked with. They were always either pulling pranks on each other or screaming at ghosts. Full-grown men acting like 12-year-olds.

____

But, just in case, on the way out Ben grabbed his spare axe to take with him.

____

——

____

Starlit Creek’s population’s a grand total of 1,776 people.

____

It would be 1,778, but, last fall, Carl Miller left on a scholarship to some city college and, two weeks ago, Ol’ Betty Reynolds had finally kicked the bucket.

____

But it would be drastically lower if it weren’t for the Meugler Timber Company.

____

Meugler made that fancy wood panelling you find in over-priced restaurants and Mayors’ offices. The type of clientele you wouldn't be finding in Starlit Creek. Or among the Meugler Timber Company’s workers.

____

And the Company’s lumberjacks and other site employees made up a third of the population in Star Creek.

____

So, despite there being 1,776 people in the town of Starlit Creek, only about 1,000 were true locals. 

____

And Plutt’s Auto Care catered to them all.

____

Or rather, Rey catered to them all.

____

Which she really shouldn’t, seeing as she wasn't actually licensed to do so.

____

Technically, she was hired in a “customer-facing” position. But, in truth, the actual mechanic, Plutt, lounged in his office and did any “customer-facing”. While Rey fixed the cars. 

____

Not that their regular customers knew that.

____

But it’s been Rey for years now, shimmying under trucks and popping the hoods of rust-saturated sedans. 

____

Such as the old chevy that she was currently under. 

____

Rey put her wrench down to wipe at the sweat lining her forehead.

____

“Girl! Why’s the coffee maker still busted?”

____

Rey hesitated for a moment before sliding out. The first thing she saw after pushing out from under the Chevy was Plutt’s flabby but irate face looming over her.

____

“The coffee maker should’ve been running hours ago!”

____

“I said I’d take a look at it after switching out Tekka’s transmission.” She replied with a forced calm. “I’ll be over to check it out soon.”

____

“You’re still not done? I swear you’re getting slower, girl. If I get customers coming in to complain about being behind…” He trailed off, eyebrows raised significantly.

____

Rey bit off a defensive comment and just kept quiet.

____

Rey reminded herself of the cache of money waiting for her back at her apartment. Just a couple more years and then she could go… Somewhere. Anywhere. Any place that wasn’t Starlit Creek.

____

She just had to keep her head down a little longer.

____

Plutt nodded in satisfaction, “Keep that in mind. I’m heading out back, I’m expecting a new shipment of parts either today or tomorrow, so let me know if those come in.”

____

At Rey’s nod, he left Rey to her clanging and greasy work.

____

As Plutt opened the back door, a welcome breeze snuck in, ruffling the sweat-soaked strands on Rey’s forehead. 

____

And then the door slammed shut behind Plutt. Leaving Rey alone in the over-heated Auto-shop.

____

Plutt didn’t turn on the A-C or Heating unless the weather was drastic. And none of the windows actually opened. Not that she’d ever complain, Plutt was the only one in town willing to hire her.

____

So she went back to replacing parts. 

____

She tried to be as gentle as possible, convinced that one wrong touch could collapse the whole Chevy on top of her. The fact that the equipment in Plutt’s shop was not up to code didn’t comfort her any more. Again, not that she would ever complain.

____

Rey reached for a part, not noticing the shadowy figure slowly pass across one of the back-windows, movements uneven.

____

——

____

A grinding sound filled the room. Gears whirred and water splashed.

____

And Rey sighed in relief as the coffee started filtering into the pot.

____

She called out, “The Coffee Maker’s fixed!”

____

Expecting Plutt to come barreling out for his precious coffee fix, Rey’s shout echoed in the otherwise silent workshop. No Plutt.

____

She cleared her throat before calling out even louder.

____

“Coffee’s back on!”

____

Nothing.

____

She glanced toward the grimy back window. 

____

Was he still out there? It wasn’t unusual for Plutt to spend hours out back, lounging around. But he’d been back there for most of the day.

____

She thought of how irritated he was earlier and decided to try buttering him up. He was in charge of her paycheck after all.

____

She cleaned off Plutt’s stained mug, filled it up to the brim with fresh coffee and headed for the back door. She watched the mug carefully, in order not to spill, as she pulled turned the door handle. She squeezed past the closing door, shutting it firmly with a press of her hip.

____

“I brought out some coffee for-“

____

Her words broke off abruptly as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

____

There were two figures before her. 

____

Plutt was sprawled out on the floor. His head was turned toward her, mouth gaping. 

____

And hunched over him, back facing Rey, was a plaid-clad man. She couldn’t recognize him, but he was making loud slurping sounds.

____

She stared at them both, her brain trying to compute the unusual position. 

____

And then she noticed the blood covering the ground.

____

A whimper involuntarily escaped her throat. The coffee-filled mug fell from her hand. And it crashed to the pavement, hot coffee going everywhere.

____

The strange figure turned at the sound.

____

His skin was yellow-tinted, features slack, and worst of all, blood was running all down his front.

____

Rey’s brain refused to acknowledge WHOSE blood it was. Instead she started moving back toward the Auto-shop door, as the blood-stained THING began to lean in her direction. 

____

She still wasn’t certain what was happening, but she was getting out of here.

____

At the exact moment her shaking hand reached for the door handle, the mouth-slacked figure rushed toward her.

____

She abandoned the handle in favor of dodging her attacker. She almost tripped over the cracked pavement as she dashed to the side.

____

She turned to run to the lot’s exit, where the street was, letting out a high-pitched scream. Her feet pounded painfully against the pavement. Her voice cracked.

____

There’d be people along the main street at this time of day. Or there were the people working the neighboring businesses. If she could only-

____

A hand snagged the back of her shirt, pulling her off balance. 

____

She went crashing to the hard ground. She felt her hands burn against the concrete as they shot out to catch herself. Her knees followed, pain bursting as her legs met the ground.

____

But worse than the scrapes was feeling the figure leaning over her. The blood she’d seen before dripping onto her back. 

____

And she felt with certainty that, if she couldn't get away, that blood would soon be indistinguishable from her own.

____

Rey’s hand reached around her, her fingers coming into contact with a hard object. She grabbed it and instinctively swung it as she twisted back. 

____

The object, which turned out to be a metal rake met the THING’s neck with a sickening crunch, and the figure fell to the ground next to Rey.

____

Rey scrambled back from where the fallen figure blocked the way out, rake still in hand. With her eyes glued to the figure in bloody-plaid, she got to her feet. 

____

She shuffled back, watching the plaid-covered-figure for signs of life. Continuing back her feet were finally stopped by something lying on the ground.

____

A glance back showed Plutt at her feet, his torso a bloody, torn-up mess, eyes staring up at her vacantly. 

____

She couldn't help staring back. There was her Boss. Or rather, there was what remained of her Boss. The man who gave her paychecks and allowed her to work at the Auto-shop without a license was dead.

____

She had lost her only possible source of income and she was alone.

____

And something had just tried to kill her.

____

Turning back toward the fallen THING and the lot’s road entrance, she saw a group of people gathering. A couple waitresses from the diner next door, the part-timer from the convenience store, some people Rey didn’t know. About a dozen people stood at the Auto-shop lot’s exit.

____

Rey shouted out, “HELP! THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG-“

____

Then she realized with horror that each new person had yellowed skin and blood-stained clothes. And a bite mark prominent on their skin. 

____

A waitress’s head jerked in her direction, a teeth marks lining her cheek, mouth gaping, apron dripping in red.

____

Then what-used-to-be-the-waitress lurched forward, hurrying into the lot.

____

The rest all followed behind.

____

All in Rey’s direction. 

____

Things just got worse.

____

Rey whirled toward the Auto-shop door, only to see Plutt’s DEAD BODY begin to stir, vacant eyes moving to watch her. Blood still dripped from bite marks all over his torso and neck, but his fingers twitched

____

There was NO WAY Plutt was still alive, with the condition of his body.

____

Which could only mean he was… another THING.

____

And he was blocking the way to the Auto-shop door.

____

Desperate for a solution, Rey’s eyes caught on a vehicle parked in the lot. The ONLY working vehicle in the Auto-shop’s lot.

____

Looks like she was going to have to make do.

____

——

____

They were trying to eat Ben. 

____

The first one had tackled him MOMENTS after exiting the trailer.

____

If Ben hadn’t been holding an axe, he’d probably been dead.

____

And the instant Ben cut the first DEFINITELY-NOT-A-HUMAN’s head off, abnormally-dark blood splattering everywhere, he saw at least a twenty others following from behind. 

____

Some of them he could recognize as other Lumber-jacks, even the Site-Supervisor was there. But none of them acted anything like the people he knew. Instead they were all covered in blood, skin discolored and mouths gaping.

____

Ben knew when it was time to retreat. And now was definitely one of those times. 

____

He raced back to his trailer door, hurrying to get there before the rest of the creatures caught up. 

____

Finding the door locked, he pounded on the wood.

____

“ISWEAR IF YOU GUYS DON’T OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW, I WILL-“

____

The door jerked open and Poe’s hand shot through to tug Ben into the trailer.

____

Finally safe inside, Ben collapsed against the door, heart racing. He looked wide-eyed at Finn and Poe, who were watching him expectantly.

____

“They’re trying to eat us.” Ben panted out.

____

The door began to tremble under Ben. He could feel the creatures clawing at the wood, attempting to break through.

____

As Ben pushed against the door with all his weight, Poe crossed his arms, a smug expression on his face.

____

“And YOU said WE scream like five year-old girls.”

____

Ben gritted out, “Not the time.” 

____

“Oh, but it WAS the time before when it was just FINN and I?”

____

Ben ignored Poe as he called to Finn, “Storm! Call 911!”

____

Finn scrambled for his phone, hands shaking.

____

Just seconds later, after putting the phone to his ear, he responded, “The signal’s down!”

____

Ben, leaning against the shaking door, dug into his back pocket for his phone. 

____

Only to find it was true. 

____

There was no signal. Just the notifications of 11 missed calls from his mother. 

____

Usually, phone calls worked at Ben’s cabin, what had changed in the past 20 minutes?

____

The door shook under a new barrage of pushing bodies. Ben widened his stance to brace against the wooden door.

____

“So, what do we do next?” he grunted out.

____

“Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…” Poe searched the trailer, at a loss. “We could try talking to them?”

____

Ben and Finn stared at him silently, unamused.

____

“Ok, maybe not.” Poe acknowledged.

____

Ben sighed in exasperation. Out of everyone, he just HAS to be stuck with Dumb and Dumber. 

____

Ben shook his head, “If we could get to my truck then maybe…?”

____

But how would they get his truck when the creatures were waiting for them just outside the door?

____

Finn’s voice broke Ben’s thoughts, “Guys?”

____

Poe and Ben looked to Finn.

____

“You got an idea?” Poe asked.

____

A trembling Finn pointed wordlessly to the living room window. Where a yellow-tinged figure was reaching towards the glass. 

____

With one swipe, the creature broke through the window.

____

Ben swore and Finn and Poe jumped away from the window with shriek.

____

“Don’t let it come in!” Ben shouted at the others.

____

But within seconds, during their hesitation, the figure started crawling through the broken window, uncaring about the glass shards cutting into its flesh. 

____

And behind it was a group of them gathering to follow the first.

____

“We need to get behind another door!” Poe shouted, immediately turning to sprint to the back of the trailer, Finn following him.

____

Ben watched them go, mentally debating.

____

As soon as he left the door, the creatures would probably break through the door. And he wasn’t sure if he could outrun them.

____

But waiting any longer would mean more figures coming through the window, blocking his only route to the back of the trailer.

____

Ben took a deep breathe before launching himself off the door, axe in hand.

____

Hearing the door break behind him, he sprinted forward. 

____

He had to dodge an outreached hand from the window. side-stepping the figures spilling through the broken window, he bolted toward the back, where Poe and Finn were waiting wide-eyed by the door.

____

“Hurry, Ben!” Finn called out.

____

Ben could hear footstep behind him, following him down the narrow hallway.

____

As soon as Ben ducked through the doorframe, Poe and Finn slammed the bedroom door shut. Just in time for several bodies to slam into the other side.

____

“Are there windows in here?” Finn panted out.

____

Ben gestured breathlessly to the wide plane of glass lining the wall next to them. 

____

Poe swore, adjusting his body more fully against the bedroom door.

____

“How about the bathroom?” Finn asked desperately, slumped next to Poe.

____

Ben sat heavily on the mattress, “There too.”

____

“Maybe if we close the curtains, they won’t know we’re in?”

____

Ben glared at Poe.

____

“Hey, it’s better than nothing!” Poe said defensively, the door shaking violently behind him.

____

Ben turned to search the room. Was there something they were missing, someplace to hide, a weapon they could use? They could barrackde the door with what little furniture Ben had, but that wouldn’t fix the problem with the windows.

____

“What the-?” Poe exclaimed.

____

Ben perked up, hoping Poe had thought of a solution.

____

“You have a SKYLIGHT? We didn't get that in OUR trailer.” Poe pointed to the ceiling, pouting.

____

Ben stared at him, “What’s WRONG with you? We’re about to die and you’re jealous because your-“

____

Ben halted mid-sentence.

____

Looking back up, he mentally measured the distance from the bed to the skylight. 

____

That could work.

____

——

____

Finn gaped as Ben single-handedly hefted a wooden dresser onto the mattress. 

____

Did the man bench-press trees after cutting them down?

____

“You guys need to find something to prop against the door as we climb out.” Ben informed them.

____

Right. They were in the middle of an emergency. Like a ‘You-re-about-to-die’ emergency.

____

As his heartbeat began to rise, Finn forced himself to take deep breaths. This was no time to panic. He could panic later, when they were safe. 

____

But then the thought crossed his mind. 

____

Was anywhere safe? Was there a place to go where people didn't suddenly become cannibals? Was ANYWHERE normal? For all they knew, this was how the whole world was.

____

Finn’s deep breaths suddenly became panicked ones.

____

“Finn.”

____

Finn turned to look at Poe.

____

“I’m going to go get a chair to put under the handle. Can I leave you with the door for a few seconds?” 

____

As the door shook under his back, Finn’s breaths became even more shallow.

____

“I promise I’ll hurry, you’ve got this.” Poe reassured him, patting Finn on the shoulder.

____

And then it was just Finn. And Finn was the only thing between them and the creatures banging to break through the door.

____

He closed his eyes, trying to imagine he was anywhere else.

____

Finn was in one of those fancy massage chairs that you could try at the malls. All that vibrating was just the massage function. Any second now, a store attendant was going to come over ask him to allow the other customers a turn.

____

But there wasn’t the smell of blood and constant groaning at the Mall.

____

Finn’s eyes flew back open.  
Back to Ben Solo’s tiny bedroom. 

____

Back to where they were under siege by monsters that were literally blood-thirsty.

____

And where he was the only thing stopping the monsters from breaking down the door and killing them all. 

____

And, truthfully, part of Finn wanted to throw open the door, just to get it over with.

____

“Finn, scoot over.”

____

Poe stood before him, chair in hand.

____

Finn gulped, “Will that hold?”

____

“Let’s hope so.”

____

Ben called out from where he was smashing at the skylight with the axe, “Just in case, don’t leave the door until last second.”

____

As the glass finally broke, Ben ducked to protect himself from the falling shards.

____

“Somebody grab the first-aid kit from the bathroom. We’ll probably need it.” He ordered them.

____

Poe grumbled, “Who put you in charge?” But he still disappeared into the bathroom. 

____

After Ben used a blanket to brush the pieces of glass onto the floor, he started climbing onto the dresser.

____

“Wait, what about us?” Finn called out.

____

“Don’t worry, I’ll help pull you guys up.” Ben responded as he started hefting himself up through the skylight.

____

Finn watched him go, thinking about how Ben could just leave them here to die. In all reality, he’d probably do better without them.

____

Poe exited the bathroom, first-aid kit in hand, “I know site-regulation says we’re all supposed to have these handy, but I didn’t think any of us actually kept a first-aid kit.” He hefted the kit in hand, a smirk appearing, “I always knew Solo was secretly a nerd.”

____

Ben’s hand reached down from the skylight, “Shut up and hand me the kit. You can insult me later.”

____

Poe handed it over before starting to climb the dresser himself.

____

“Wait!” Finn called out, panicked. “How- When-“

____

Ben stuck his head through the skylight. 

____

“After I get Poe up here, we’ll both pull you up. But don’t leave the door until last second.”

____

Finn gave a faint “Ok.”

____

Satisfied, Ben’s head disappeared, only for his hands to reach down to help Poe up.

____

Ben huffed, “You’re like five-feet tall, how do you weigh so much?”

____

Finn could hear Poe’s indignant reply through the skylight.

____

“My height is perfectly average for a man. It’s you with the freaky altitude.”

____

“‘Altitude’? And you call me a nerd?”

____

The door shook under a particularly violent thud.

____

“Guys?” Finn called out questioningly.

____

Ben called out, “We’re ready for you. Just make sure to run fast, we don’t know how long the door will hold.”

____

Finn nodded breathlessly, despite neither of the other men being able to see him.

____

“I’m going to count. On three, run.” Poe’s voice called though the skylight. “We’ll be ready to pull you up.”

____

Finn nodded again.

____

And didn't move.

____

“Finn?”

____

He was frozen against the door. 

____

He couldn’t even move a finger off the wood.

____

“Finn?” 

____

Poe and Bens’ heads poked through the skylight.

____

“Storm! We don’t have time for you to freak out!” Ben yelled.

____

Poe waved a hand through the skylight, “You can do it, Finn! Just run!”

____

Finn shook his head.

____

“I can’t. I can’t do it.”

____

Ben sighed, “I’m not coming down there to get you, so you better get up here.”

____

A bang came from the bedroom window.

____

Ben and Poe swore in unison at the sight of several creatures clawing at the glass.

____

“They found the window. Come on Finn!” Poe called out desperately.

____

While Finn’s back felt frozen to the door, his eyes were glued to the window, which was starting to crack under the falling fists.

____

“Finn!” Ben and Poe shouted in unison.

____

Finn finally tore his gaze from the window to look at the hands stretching from the skylight.

____

And then he found himself sprinting forward.

____

Four hands gripped onto Finn’s and forcefully pulled him though the skylight. And heaved him onto the trailer roof.

____

Finn collapsed where Ben and Poe dropped him.

____

“You idiot! What’s wrong with you?! You should’ve started running minutes ago!”

____

Poe pushed past the yelling Ben to crouch down next to Finn.

____

“I’m glad you made it up here with us, buddy.”

____

Finn gave a weary nod.

____

Ben shook his head, “To move on from THAT, where do we go next?”

____

“Don’t you have a truck?” Poe asked.

____

Ben turned to where his truck should be parked, “Yeah-“

____

He cut himself off after seeing exactly how MANY creatures were swarming between the trailer and his truck.

____

“Yeah, that’s not happening.”

____

“And I think they’re trying to climb up the walls.” Poe added, staring down at the monsters clawing at the side of the trailer.

____

“There’s only a couple of them towards the back of the trailer. Maybe we could make a break for it?” Ben suggested.

____

Poe’s eyebrows raised, “Like, RUN all the way to Starlit Creek?”

____

“Do you have anything better?”

____

Ben’s head jerked to the side, “What’s that sound?”

____

“The monster-things?” Poe asked, thumbing to the creatures crowding the trailer.

____

“No, the-“

____

He cut himself off as the sound became loud enough to recognize. Ben’s brows furrowed, perplexed.

____

“Ice Cream?” Poe asked in confusion.

____

They turned to face the woods.

____

There weaving among the Elms, was a bright baby-blue Ice-Cream Truck. On top of the vehicle, an ice-cream cone in pastel colors rotated. Next to speakers that blared a cute little ditty.

____

And following behind the swerving, song-playing Ice-Cream Truck, like some macabre parade, was a horde of the monsters.

____

Poe shook his head, “Things just get weirder.”

____

——

____

The jingle was slowly driving Rey insane. So cutesy and bright when she was JUST TRYING NOT TO DIE.

____

Her day was already, hands-down, the worst. Cause, you know, her boss (and source of money) was now dead-but-not-really, she was almost EATEN, and her only source of escape was a faulty ICE CREAM TRUCK. 

____

And then, while driving around town, she found that everyone was suddenly a jaundiced, groaning THING and they were blocking the way out of town. So her only option was to drive INTO the forest. In a vehicle with the worst traction imaginable. And, it turns out, slowing down enough to avoid driving into trees and ditches also means slowing down enough for the THINGS to follow in behind.

____

So, here she was. Dodging trees in the worst vehicle for turn-radius value. With a long conga-line of monsters behind her.

____

And to make it worse, she was pretty sure the Come-get-your-ice-cream song was attracting more and more THINGS to her. 

____

So does that make it a Come-get-your-human song? 

____

She had already tried turning the blaring sound off, but she found she couldn’t navigate the trees and uneven ground AND solve the sound problem at the same time.

____

If only she could get onto the highway, she’d be home-free.

____

She swerved to drive around a particularly wide Elm. The Ice-Cream Truck jolted as it drove over the tree’s roots. Over the engine and the broadcasted ditty, Rey could hear the thousands of footsteps of her creepy entourage.

____

A loud thumping noise made Rey jump in her seat.

____

Glancing to the side, she saw one of the THINGS had caught up to her passenger-side window and was now bashing its hand against the glass. It was jogging alongside the truck, panting. And shouting.

____

Wait, shouting?

____

“Unlock the door!”

____

She hadn’t come across any THINGS that could talk, but that didn’t mean they COULDN’T. Right?

____

“If you don’t unlock the door, we’re going to die!”

____

Glancing back out, Rey could see there were three men in total, red-faced as they attempted to keep up with the Ice-Cream Truck, while still out of reach of the THINGS. She rolled down the window an inch.

____

“Have any of you been bitten?”

____

The man closest to the window furrowed his brows in confusion as he panted.

____

“No?”

____

“I need you to be certain!” Rey shouted over the noise. “Have any of you been bitten?”

____

The man shook his head, his sweat-soaked curls tossing with the movement, “No!”

____

Rey took one more look at the desperate expressions on the men’s faces. And then she unlocked the door.

____

The first man climbed in with a sigh of relief. He instantly headed back towards the freezers, making room for the other two men to climb in.

____

The next man, a bright-eyed, dark skinned man that didn’t look more than 23 years old, collapsed against a freezer. His white t-shirt was soaked with sweat. 

____

A gruff-looking man with long hair, the largest of the three, fell into the passenger-side seat. His plaid reminded Rey uncomfortably of her recent encounter back behind the Auto-shop.

____

“You guys with the Timber Company?”

____

The Tall-Guy in the passenger seat nodded. Then he gestured toward the ceiling.

____

“Are you trying call every one of those freaky things with your music?” He asked breathlessly.

____

Rey shot him a glare.

____

“I can’t turn it off, the Truck needs to be fixed.” Rey turned back to the road just in time to avoid a ditch. “You’re free to leave if you’d rather be somewhere else.” She added pointedly.

____

Tall-Guy huffed and then started looking over the dash, “I’ll figure it out.”

____

“You’ll have to take out the control panel.” She informed him.

____

He ignored her.

____

The first man with the curls leaned over Rey’s shoulder.

____

“Are you from Starlit Creek?”

____

She nodded, eyes still glued to the forest floor.

____

“Was Everyone else…”

____

She swallowed heavily, “You three are the only normal people I’ve seen since this morning. The whole town is over-run.”

____

“Which is why you’re delivering ice-cream to the woodland creatures?”

____

Rey grimaced.

____

The side of his lips quirked-up in chagrin, “Well, nice ride to face the apocalypse in.”

____

She shrugged, “Didn’t have many options. It was the only working vehicle on the lot.”

____

A loud thud made them all start. The big guy in the passenger seat hit the dash again.

____

“This hunk of plastic won’t turn the sound off.”

____

Rey sent him a derisive look, “I told you already, pull out the dash, you’ll have to manually disconnect it.”

____

The guy hesitated for a second before grabbing his axe from where it was resting on the floor. The other three in the car balked.

____

“What are you-“

____

They all jumped as he swung it into the edge of the dash. 

____

As he pried the front of the dash off, Curly-haired guy scolded him, “What the- Ben, warn a guy first.”

____

“Well, POE, if you guys were actually paying attention instead of gossiping, you’d actually notice things going on around you. Like the horde of MONSTERS following us.”

____

Poe ignored him turned back to Rey.

____

“Where are we headed?”

____

She nodded in front of them, “The freeway should be this way. Once we get there, we should be able to outrun the THINGS following us.”

____

Another loud thud echoed through the truck.

____

“Solo, stop it with loud noises!” Poe shouted.

____

Ben glanced back, “That wasn’t me.”

____

They all looked to the back of the truck, where the back doors were swinging wildly. Giving them a perfect view of the Creatures on the verge of climbing in the back of the truck.

____

Rey was the first to speak.

____

“One of you boys will have to get that closed.”

____

Ben sighed before handing Poe the axe.

____

“This one’s you. If you lose my axe, I’ll kill you myself.”

____

Poe’s grip on the axe was shakey, but he headed toward the back all the same.

____

“Don’t fall out!” Rey called over the all the noise surrounding them.

____

She looked over to see Ben yanking at a random wire. She sighed.

____

“Not that one, you need to find the wire that-“

____

“I can’t find ANYTHING with you distracting me.” He snapped. “Let me focus.”

____

She glared at the side of his overly-large head.

____

“You. In the white.” She called to the back, jerking her head toward the unknown man still cowering wordlessly in the back.

____

“Finn. My name’s Finn.” He replied in almost a whimper.

____

“Finn. Can you take the wheel? I need to fix the sound system.”

____

“Uh- I- Uh- No.”

____

“No?” Rey glared at him through the rear-view mirror.

____

“I can’t drive.” Finn admitted.

____

Ben snorted, smirking, “Great.”

____

Rey’s eyes narrowed at him, “Fine then Big Guy, you drive.”

____

Ben flicked a hand dismissively, “You focus on the wheel, I’ll focus on this.”

____

“Did you not just hear me? I said I can fix the sound system. I just need someone to take over driving.”

____

Ben shot a her a fleeting side-eye, “Might as well leave me to it, I probably know as much as you do.”

____

Rey slammed a hand against the wheel in frustration.

____

“You’re talking to a BLOODY MECHANIC, you idiot! So let me do my bloody JOB and fix this hunk of metal before we all die!”

____

“You’re a mechanic?” Ben and Finn both asked in disbelief at the same time.

____

“YES, DID YOU THINK I WAS THE ICE-CREAM MAN?” She exploded before moving on, “Now that we established my PROFESSION, somebody else better start driving!”

____

And with that, she abandoned the wheel and grabbed up the wires Ben had been messing with previously.

____

Ben swore and dived for the free wheel just in time to swerve away from an oncoming tree.

____

“Are you insane!?”

____

Rey ignored him in favor of trailing her finger along one of the wires.

____

“Finn! I could use a little help back here!” Poe called out.

____

Rey nodded to Finn, “There’s a rake in the back that might help.”

____

Finn’s eyes were wide as he made his way hesitantly toward the back doors.

____

Ben finally settled into the driver’s seat, expression frustrated. As a particularly intense bump jarred the Ice-Cream Truck, Ben gave Rey a side-ways glance.

____

“I know you couldn’t get on the freeway, but couldn’t you have picked a grassy meadow to drive through. Instead of the densest part of the woods?” 

____

Rey sent him an overly-sweet smile, “Maybe I should’ve, seeing as doing so would mean I wouldn’t be dealing with YOU right now.”

____

That shut Ben up for a bit. Which brought Rey a lot of relief. She had only just met him and she could already tell he was a piece of work.

____

Though she could admit that Ben was doing an excellent job driving. She KNEW just exactly how difficult it was to be driving through the trees. Seeing as she was the one doing so only second ago.

____

The downside of Ben shutting up was that the two predominant sounds were the repeating Ice-Cream ditty and the sounds of Poe and Finn fending off the THINGS in the back.

____

Not an ideal soundtrack.

____

A glance back showed Finn swinging at reaching hands with the axe as Poe was attempting to grab ahold of the door handle with the rake.

____

But one of the creatures took ahold of the rake and yanked it, almost pulling Poe out of the truck with it.

____

Rey winced at the sight, before turning back to her mess of cords. 

____

One thing at a time.

____

Time to turn off that horrible music.

____

Within a minute Rey, with a cheer, found the correct cord and yanked at it with all her strength.

____

The cheery song finally cut off mid-note.

____

Poe shouted, “Finally! That thing was driving me insane!”

____

Rey took a second to wipe the sweat off of her forehead and then made her way to the two men struggling in the back.

____

“I’ve got an idea, I need someone to help me.” She linked arms with Poe and gave him a deathly-serious look, “I’m going to reach for the door. Don’t let me fall out.”

____

He nodded and wedged part of his body in between two freezers. Rey leaned out of the gaping back-end of the truck, reaching for the swinging door. She purposefully ignored the multitude of THINGS just in front of her.

____

Just as her hand closed around the inner door handle, a frigid hand snagged on her ankle.

____

Rey kicked at the hand, looking down to meet the blank eyes of what used to a young woman. Rey yelped as the THING gave her ankle a particularly nasty yank.

____

“Guys!?”

____

Finn joined Poe in trying to pull Rey back into the truck. They all yelled as Rey went flying back toward them, door handle still in hand.

____

Rey and Poe bolted the door secure.

____

“Well, that’s one. Just the other half of the door to go.” Poe turned toward Rey, an apologetic look on his face, “Sorry, but could you-“

____

Despite the ordeal she just went through, Rey gave an exhausted nod. The other part of the door had to be closed somehow.

____

But before they could get back into formation, Ben suddenly blanched and swore.

____

They all turned toward the front of the car. Where the windshield offered a sprawling view of a massive concrete wall in front of them. 

____

——

____

Ben was done with today. 

____

A giant wall- after everything ELSE that had gone wrong today?

____

As Ben jerked the steering wheel to the side, he called to the three in the back, “Hold on!”

____

The wheels on the right-side of the vehicle lifted off the ground as Ben pulled the truck into a sharp turn. He cringed as the Ice-Cream Truck wobbled between falling back onto all four wheels or onto its side. The concrete wall flashed by as they narrowly scraped by. The vehicle jolted harshly as it landed back on all four wheels.

____

Ben cursed at whoever designed the road layout of the area surrounding Starlit Creek.

____

What was the purpose of putting giant dividers AROUND a freeway?

____

Sparing a glance to the rearview mirror, he noticed that, luckily, everyone was still in the back of the truck. But, unluckily, the sudden turn made it easier for their undead entourage to catch up.

____

The Mechanic, who, frankly, looked far too pretty to be a competent Mechanic, now had the axe for some reason. And she was swinging it non-stop at the jaundiced-arms clawing through the open back door.

____

“Ben, can you go faster?” Poe called out.

____

Ben looked at the length of grass lining the area surrounding the wall.

____

“Yeah, but make sure you hang on.”

____

He pushed down on the gas, determined to find a gap in the wall. So they could finally get onto the Freeway.

____

Finn called to Ben, “I think we’re starting to lose them!”

____

But as soon as he said so, the truck hit a bump, jostling them all. And sending Finn right out the open back door.

____

Poe screamed.

____

“FINN!”

____

Ben began slowing down, physically turning to look into the back.

____

Finn was hanging by the handle of the open door, swinging back and forth just outside the vehicle.

____

“Help! Bring me in! Help please!”

____

The pretty Mechanic shouted to the front go the truck.

____

“Ben, if you hit the brake, then maybe-“

____

Following her thinking, Ben slammed his foot on the brake.

____

The Truck came to a quick stop. And as the Truck suddenly stopped, the door swung inwards with its continuing momentum. The Mechanic and Poe dragged Finn into the Truck. And then, as Finn collapsed on the floor, the other two secured the door.

____

Relieved, Ben pressed on the gas, picking up speed.

____

He looked back to the view before him.

____

And there it was, about a mile away, a gap in the divider.

____

“We’re turning again!”

____

Ben jerked the wheel. The tires lifted off the ground again. And there was an unpleasant screech accompanied by the unpleasant smell of burning rubber.

____

But they swerved through the gap in the divider, to where the Freeway was waiting, blissfully empty.

____

Poe cheered again.

____

As they began to pick up more speed on the asphalt, the train of monsters began to fall behind. 

____

Finn sighed in relief. 

____

And the sight of the undead creatures growing smaller behind them seemed to drain Ben of all the adrenaline he’d been feeling the past two hours.

____

His weakening hands barely clutched the wheel as he practically melted into the Driver’s seat.

____

The other three came to the front of the car, the Mechanic claiming the passenger seat as Finn and Poe collapsed to the floor of the truck.

____

They all sat quietly, taking in the empty expanse of road before them.

____

Poe broke through the silence suddenly, “Okay, my nerves can’t take this, I need some music.”

____

Ben stared him down incredulously, “You want to play music after we just barely got it to STOP?”

____

“Do you see any more of those freaky things?”

____

Ben looked out the window and, sure enough, the area surrounding them was bare of everything except the trees. He shook his head disapprovingly but he didn’t stop Poe from plugging Ben’s phone into the auxiliary cord.

____

Ben’s blaring music picked up where he left it last.

___And to think, we did all of this to rock ___  
Whoa, yeah _  
Kickstart my heart, give it start _  
Whoa, yeah _  
B-b-b-b-b-b-baby_____

The music filled the otherwise silent car as the exhausted group sped down the freeway, towards the South.

________ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve got a playlist of classic rock I listen to while writing, but if you guys have any song recs, let me know. Might use them for titles too.
> 
> Also, I live for comments.


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